Ciena offers 5168, 5166, and 5164 routers for 5G mobile network support

Feb. 24, 2020

Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) has added three routers to its 5G Network Solutions as well as new capabilities to its Blue Planet Intelligent Automation software portfolio. The company says the new offerings are in line with the company’s goals to support the demands of mobile fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul (xHaul) transport with an open network slicing-capable architecture.

The new routers are designed to enable soft and hard slicing with segment routing and FlexE switching. They will support converged 4G and 5G xHaul over a common wireline infrastructure, says Ciena. They include:

  • The 5168 Router, an xHaul network slicing platform that enables cloud RAN architectures with support for CPRI/eCPRI/RoE/ORAN, Adaptive IP, and high-density 10/25GbE to 100/200GbE aggregation
  • The 5166 Router, which Ciena describes as “cost-effective,” implements Ciena’s Adaptive IP and is optimized for 10/25GbE to 100/200/400GbE aggregation
  • The 5164 Router, another “cost-effective” network slicing router that leverages Ciena’s Adaptive IP and is optimized for 10/25GbE to 100/200GbE aggregation.

Meanwhile, the Blue Planet upgrades target 5G automation with the addition of vendor-agnostic network slicing features and dynamic planning capabilities.

“As 5G deployments kick into high gear, operators are pushing the boundaries of their networks to compete for new customers and stake their claim in the 5G era,” commented Rajesh Ghai, research director, Carrier Network Infrastructure, IDC, via a Ciena press release. “Ciena’s success in delivering optical networks speaks for itself, but its evolution as a provider of 5G-optimized routing platforms opens up new opportunities for operators that are looking to avoid vendor lock-in. These new programmable systems, in combination with Blue Planet’s intelligent software, show promise in delivering the type of lean, automated network 5G requires.”

For related articles, visit the 5G Mobile Topic Center.

For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.

To stay abreast of fiber network deployments, subscribe to Lightwave’s Service Providers and Datacom/Data Center newsletters.